How to read a tire pressure gauge? That depends on the type of gauge: analog, stick, or digital. But don’t worry because today you’ll learn how to read a pressure gauge no matter the type.
With this, you will be able to gauge whether your tires are overinflated, underinflated, or just right. Checking the pressure of your tires is a critical aspect of maintaining your vehicle. Failing to do so can lead to a serious accident.
In this article, you will learn how to read a tire pressure gauge below. You will not only be able to read a tire pressure gauge, but you will also learn the most crucial step in maintaining your tires.
How To Read a Tire Pressure Gauge
So, how to read a tire pressure gauge? This isn’t as difficult as it may seem initially. The first thing to do is to check your vehicle handbook or your driver door jamb to determine what the correct pressure for your tires is. For most passenger vehicles, it should be between 30-40 PSI.
Once you have determined the correct pressure, the next step is to attach the gauge to the tire. Once you have successfully attached the tire pressure gauge to your tires valve, the reading will show the pressure inside the tire. This can be in PSI, BAR or KPA, depending on where you are located.
In the USA, PSI is the most common unit of measure. Read the gauge to find out whether your tires pressure is correct of if it needs inflating or deflating.
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Why Is Tire Pressure Important?
By now, you’ve probably heard how you should check the pressure of your tires before a road trip, and this is correct. But, continuing to do this will guarantee you get the best out of your tires, even after a road trip. This will prevent accidents, improve gas mileage, and much more.
There are many reasons why you should keep your tires well-maintained. As you know, one of the many ways to do this is by keeping the right amount of air in your tires. This results in your tires lasting much longer, your vehicle remaining safe, improve your vehicles handling and responsiveness and much more.
Safety is the number one reason why you should always be aware of your tire pressure. If you make sure your tires are in great condition, you can prevent yourself from getting into an accident. The road can be dangerous, and if you are not prepared the worse will come.
Without the proper inflation, your tires will lose their stability. The handling of your vehicle will not be as effective as before due to this. This will result in little to no traction, slow response, and overall terrible performance of your vehicle.
In addition, you also get to keep your money. No one wants to buy expensive tires all the time, and you won’t have to. Just keep your tires maintained with one of the tire pressure gauges below.
Where to Start?
A tire check is essential for your vehicle because it prevents your tires from becoming overinflated or underinflated. Overinflated tires are susceptible to more damage from potholes and things of that nature. Underinflated tires can lead to a blowout due to heat buildup.
This is why you should rely on a tire pressure gauge. There are many types of pressure gauges to consider. Each brings something to the table and will pique your interest.
Types of Pressure Gauges
The three types of pressure gauges all have features that make them exceptional when in a rough spot, but they also have their fair share of drawbacks.
The analog gauge is a perfect example of this. This gauge is known to be pretty bulky but typically comes with many features. The clock-like gauge can provide an extension hose, bleeder valve, and more.
The stick gauge, also known as the pencil gauge, is a compact and affordable tire pressure gauge. When it is time to read the pressure, a stick pops out. But, it can be a little challenging to read in comparison to other gauges.
Lastly is the digital gauge, which is the easiest of the bunch to read because of the LCD. This can come in handy in low-light situations, but it requires batteries. Depending on how often you use this gauge, this shouldn’t be a problem.
How to Read a Tire Pressure Gauge?
At first, it may seem somewhat difficult to read your tire pressure gauge, whether it is analog, stick, or digital. However, this process isn’t as daunting as you may think, at first. This process starts by removing the valve stem cap from your tire and then gauging the PSI (pound per square inch) reading.
Each gauge is different and has different ways of viewing the PSI. So, continue below to learn how to interpret the PSI with the three types of tire pressure gauges. And don’t worry, your tires already have a recommended tire pressure on the jamb of your car door.
Analog Gauge
As previously stated, the analog gauge has a clock-like dial. This allows you to gauge the pressure of your tire based on the PSI bar. After placing the gauge on the valve stem, the needle will point to the amount of pressure in your tire. You can then inflate or deflate, depending on the information you learn.
Stick Gauge
To determine your tire pressure with the stick gauge, push the gauge down on the valve stem. Then, the measuring stick inside will pop out, showing you the PSI readings. The stick will stop exactly where the pressure of your tires is.
Digital Gauge
The digital gauge is the most modern and easiest gauge to use out of them all. All you have to do is turn it on, place the gauge onto the valve stem, then the PSI number will show up on the LCD screen. It is as simple as that.
Closing the Valve Stem
You are finally ready to close the valve stem and get back on the road. Any one of the tire pressure gauges discussed will help your tires last as long as possible. Each has a unique approach when gauging the PSI of your tires, but they all will have the same outcome: a smoother ride.
What to do now
Please do not wait until your tires are too damaged. Your tires already go through so much daily and desperately need the proper maintenance to continue. Only you can ensure your tires are maintained well, and with the information here, it will be easier than ever before.
So, now that you finally know how to read a tire pressure gauge, go ahead and make sure your tires are properly inflated.
We hope you enjoyed this article and found it informative. If you have any questions then please leave a comment below or get in touch via email or through social media and we will read and respond to every comment, email or question. Thanks for reading!
Magnificent web site. Lots of helpful information here. I am sending it to several friends ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thank you to your effort!
Thank you for letting us know that we should attach the gauge to the tire to see the reading that will determine the pressure inside. I manage a vulcanizing shop, and I was just thinking of getting new pressure gauges for the car tires soon. I’ll keep this in mind while I look for where I can get brand-new pressure gauges soon.
We appreciate you telling us to do this so we can check the reading on the tire gauge, which will tell us how much pressure is inside. I own a vulcanizing business and was considering acquiring new tire pressure gauges shortly. As I soon seek to where I may acquire brand-new pressure gauges, I’ll keep this in mind.